File photoGREATER NOIDA: A former CEO of Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority, P C Gupta, and 20 others have been booked for allegedly acquiring 57.15 hectares of land at an inflated price from relatives and acquaintances though the land actually had no utility.

The FIR states that Gupta informed his relatives and acquaintances about the acquisition in advance, and the latter bought the land from farmers. The Yamuna Authority then acquired the land from them at double the rates without any deliberations in 2013-14. The accused had bought the land from farmers just two to four months back before it was finally acquired by the YEIDA.

Gupta was made CEO of the Yamuna Authority in April 2013, and shifted as district magistrate of Mainpuri in July 2016.

The complainant, Gajendra Singh, an inspector in Yamuna Authority, said YEIDA had acquired 57.15 hectare during Gupta’s tenure. The Yamuna Authority later found irregularities in the land acquisition and formed an internal committee for investigation. On May 7, 2018, the YEIDA CEO filed a report citing a number of flaws in the acquisition. The land was purchased at double the rate from individuals and some shell companies like Data Infrastructure, Himalaya Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Shiva Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, etc, the report said.

Divisional commissioner Prabhat Kumar, who is also the chairman Yamuna Authority, has sent the report to the UP government seeking a CBI probe and formation of a special investigation team.

The FIR states that Gupta, in connivance with other Yamuna Authority officials, first got useless land bought by their acquaintances and relatives, which was later acquired by the Authority at double the prices, resulting into losses to the exchequer. The Authority found that 57.15 hectare acquired land had no utility in future.

The acquisition was to develop entry and exit ramps on Yamuna Expressway in Bajna-Naujhil road. No ramps were made on the spot as the land acquired is far away from the expressway, and also located separately, which makes development not viable.

The complainant said the Yamuna Authority officials had not got approval from UP government or expressway concessionaire Jaypee Infratech. The Yamuna Authority had also placed only one small advertisement in a local newspaper, whose circulation is negligible.

Ajay Pal Sharma, SSP, Gautam Budh Nagar, said the Yamuna Authority officials have shared some documents about land acquisition. “We have found some discrepancies in the land acquisition process. The accused had floated some companies and made themselves directors and other office-bearers and sold the land to Yamuna Authority. Primary investigation shows the addresses and other credentials of these people are fictitious. We have formed three teams and sent them for a search but all the accused are absconding,” he said.